An Post has altered the tendering terms for a 1916 centenary exhibition it plans to create inside the General Post Office in Dublin. Anyone now expressing an interest in winning the contract to design and mount the exhibition will not have to pay a non-refundable fee of €485, while anyone who has already done so will have it returned.

The change follows adverse comment earlier this month from a number of individuals that were reported in The Irish Times.

The plans are for a major exhibition in one of two large courtyards within the GPO complex, which is sandwiched between O’Connell Street and Henry Street and was the epicentre of the nationalist rebellion launched by Patrick Pearse and others at Easter 1916.

Rebel forces led by Pearse and labour leader James Connolly seized the building and several others around the city.

Shortly before midday on Easter Monday, Pearse stood beneath the portico of the GPO to read a proclamation declaring Ireland to be a sovereign republic.

An Post originally advertised for tenders via an EU website, irl.eu-supply.com. To be considered, would-be applicants had to register their interest with Achilles, a service provider company.

However, to register, interested parties had to pay €485, which was non-refundable and, critics argued, was sought in the absence of sufficient detail as to what An Post was seeking.

A spokesman for An Post, Angus Laverty, said this weekend: “Following a review of the award procedure for this contract, it has been determined that the contract in question is not covered by the Utilities EU Directive and consequently falls within the Achilles level 1 category of membership, which is free of charge, not the level 3 membership as originally advertised. Intending applicants may therefore register on Supply-Line for this contract free of charge.”